To: GatorGirl
But this "teacher" is imposing her religious beliefs on children in a public school.( Gator Girl)
Gator Girl and All:
While in the government school the children WILL be exposed to the culture of the school. For many children that culture will NOT uphold the religious worldview taught in the home. For other children their religious values will be established and supported by the government.
At least the teacher has the freedom NOT to work in the government school, however, if children without alternatives refuse to attend armed police and social workers will force attendance.
Personally, I find Santa Claus offensive to our family's religious beliefs. We had the financial means for me to do this, but other families who believe as we do are FORCED under the threat of police action to send their children into an environment that is utterly hostile to their religious traditions.
There is absolutely no possible way for the government school to be respectful of all the religious traditions surrounding Christmas, evolution, prayer in school, sex education, and HUNDREDS of other curriculum and policy issues. The government school WILL uphold and ESTABLISH the religious traditions of some and trash those of others.
If it would be wrong to FORCE children to attend and FORCE citizens to pay for a school that upheld my religious beliefs ( that is, teaching that Santa Claus is a "pretend" character) then it is wrong to FORCE those who believe as I to attend schools that teach, support, and uphold the belief that Santa is real. Both positions have religious consequences for the children. In one group the government is hostile to their beliefs, in the other group the government is establishing the belief and the religious consequences.
This can NOT be constitutional!
Solution: Complete separation of SCHOOL and state. Privatize universal K-12 education.
To: wintertime
Thanks, I think I got it the first time!
There are alternatives to public school--private and homeschool.
Even if the parents both have to work out of economic necessity, they can arrange for different shifts and the children can be cared for 100% by a parent and homeschooled if they are that concerned with their children being exposed to Santa Claus in school. I can think of much worse that kids will be exposed to in public schools--certain words, sex, homosexuality as a virtue, etc....
It's like pretty much everything in life that's offered for "free", there are strings attached. My statement stands: this woman had no business imposing her religious beliefs on these children. If it had been a Muslim, Jewish or atheist teacher seeking to disabuse Christian children of the notion of Christ as the Messiah, you all would be screaming for her head on a pike, and rightly so.
Just because she claims to be Christian, it's still not right to impose her personal religious beliefs on these children.
744 posted on
12/28/2005 6:57:48 PM PST by
GatorGirl
(Happy New Year!!)
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